Beccy Owen

Beccy Owen

Beccy Owen is a Welsh-born songwriter based in Tyne and Wear. She works in indie and writes piano-led songs marked by emotional intensity, with themes of pain, hope and defiance. Her music is associated with a mix of whispered melodies, literary detail and a strong vocal style.

Early releases

Her first full-length album, The Sweetest of Tales from the Bitterest Edge, appears on her Fairy Snuff imprint. It is released in the early months of 2002 and is assembled on a shoestring budget of just under £300. The record sells 3,000 copies and rising, mainly through internet sales and gigs.

The song Monkey receives regular play on BBC Radio 2 after she appears on the Janice Long Show alongside Elvis Costello. The performance draws a strong reaction and gives her a much wider national audience.

Further work

Her second album, The Singer Kicks, follows in 2004. It features more than forty guest musicians and orchestral arrangements. The record extends the piano-and-vocal sound of her earlier work while also moving through swoon pop, jazz, rock and balladry.

Style and comparisons

Owen’s songs are described through comparisons with Kate Bush, Carole King and Nina Simone, reflecting both the ambition and the range of her writing and performance style. Her work is noted for combining intimacy with a larger, more ornate sound.

Activity

She is also associated with her Fairy Snuff label and with family concert work under the title Beccy Owen’s Extreme Earth.